State vs. Algorithm : Digital Power, State Capture, and the Quest to Reclaim Democracy

This lecture explores the transformative shift in global governance and societal organization as traditional state structures are increasingly challenged—and sometimes replaced—by algorithmic systems. Presenting Mathias Bianchi’s book of the same title, it examines how data-driven technologies, artificial intelligence, and automated decision-making are reshaping sovereignty, citizenship, and power in the digital age. Through a critical lens, the lecture asks whether algorithms can contribute to more efficient public administration or whether they pose an unprecedented threat to democratic values, transparency, and individual autonomy.

The series is organized by the Center for Civil Society Research.